Happy 2011

Image by Leorex via Flickr

It's a new year and a new start to blogging. So, instead of "trying" to blog daily I've decided to blog weekly. Every Friday/Saturday I will blog and then go from there.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

The new year always brings with it the idea of change. To finally lose that weight or get out of debt. To change the things we know we need to change but for whatever reason we haven't been able to.

I'd like to lose weight. I'd like to get out of debt. However, this year...my real New Year's Resolution is to Stop Procrastinating. If I'm being honest with myself and my readers...my one big fault isn't that I eat too much or spend too much money. (Yes, I do those things too) It's that I always put things off, whether the task is big or small I procrastinate - big time.

I know I haven't blogged in a few months, it's another thing I keep putting off. A lot has happened during this time, but I'll give you the short version. I was sliding back down into depression and I didn't want to go down that road again. Do you ever get tired of being "sick and tired"? I know I do and I'm tired of not really living and enjoying my life. I took steps to get out of the funk I was in and also to prevent the Seasonal Depression I usually suffer from. I'm happy to announce that it's January 1, 2011 and I'm not in my usual Winter Blues! I am a blessed woman with a great life. That's not to say my life is perfect, but it's really good and I'm really lucky.

Most of the problems I do have stem from procrastination. If I don't put off cleaning the kitchen I'm more likely to make a good wholesome meal. If I put it off we're either ordering out or finding something super quick and easy to make which is most likely not in the healthy category.

Keeping my resolution in mind I started preparing yesterday. With the help of my wonderful husband, Ben, we completely re-organized and cleaned the house. We moved my office, I rearranged our bedroom, the kitchen floor was finally scrubbed! It was a lot of work in one day, but we finished and still had time to bath the kids and get them to bed and enjoy a nice quiet New Year's Eve together. I made it to midnight for the first time in years. I tried to text my friends at midnight but I guess everyone else had the same idea. This morning I was woken before 7 am but that was ok. My house was clean and it's so relaxing to wake up to a clean, organized house.

I truly believe our environment reflects how we feel inside. When I'm down in the dumps the house is completely disorganized with stuff everywhere. If you're in the grips of depression today please I urge you I know how hard it is but get up and organize your life. I guarantee you'll feel loads better and if you don't feel better then reach out to a friend, a stranger or even message me. But talk to someone. Vent. Lay it all out. Get it out. Just don't sit in your despair - alone.

Someone cares.

You are not alone.

Someone loves you.

You need to let people know you're suffering so they can help. Maybe they can't fix your problems, but just having someone to talk to can make all the difference in the world. Let me tell you a story:

This woman was going through a very rough time. She called to cancel her dinner plans because she wouldn't be very good company for the holidays. Her friend sensed something else was going on so she said she was coming over. The woman didn't want company, she wanted to be alone, but her friend wouldn't listen. She drove over to her house at 9:30 at night and stayed until the wee hours of the morning. Did she have other things to do, yes, but she didn't care. Her friend needed someone. She knew if left alone the woman would go through all the negative things in her life and that bitter cycle would bring her down deeper and deeper. Instead she was able to cry and laugh and get it all out. She went for dinner the next night. She was a joy to be around, she met new people and had a great time. Her holidays were so much brighter by one act of kindness. 

Sometimes the best gift of all is giving someone YOUR time! 

With that, I say - Happy New Year! May you all be blessed in 2011 and all the years to come. What's your New Year's Resolution?